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Bhutanese Folklore

The yak and buffalo

Once upon a time there were two distant cousins – a Yak and a Buffalo. They lived in the plains with a lot of green pastures and clean water. Life was good, but one thing was amiss and that was salt. Both the yak and buffalo yearned for salt. One fine day, the yak said […]

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Bhutanese Folklore

Consumption of betel leaves and areca nut

While travelling in Bhutan, it is impossible not to notice the red stained mouths of the Bhutanese. These stains are the result of constantly chewing upon the betel leaves and chunks of areca nuts (known as Doma) which are widely available. From roadside shops to supermarkets, small plastic pouches of the leaves and nuts being […]

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Bhutanese Folklore More about Bhutan

The Four Harmonious Friends

A story about friendship and respect.. The Four Harmonious Friends is a very commonly recurring theme in Bhutanese folk art, and can be found in several murals and decorative artefacts across Bhutan. The depiction is that of an elephant standing under a fruit tree and carrying a monkey, rabbit and peacock, each one on top […]